


Double Or Quits

by Lothiriel84



Category: John Finnemore's Double Acts
Genre: Double Drabble, Episode Tag, Family, Ficlet Collection, Gen, Romance, Sibling Love, The Goliath Window, hot desk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-12 01:18:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5648518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lothiriel84/pseuds/Lothiriel84
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All that is gold does not glitter. (Not all those who wander are lost.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mirror To Mirror

He waits until Luke’s breaths even out in his sleep; only then he dares to tiptoe quietly down the stairs, gently shutting the door to the vestry behind himself.

His brother, a parson. And very nearly an artist, if only fate hadn’t arranged otherwise.

Between the two of them, Luke had always been the smarter twin. Somehow, Mark had vaguely imagined he would talk his way out of their father’s wish; but then again Luke lacked the mule-like stubbornness that had been Mark’s dominant trait ever since their youth.

And now they’ve been reunited after all these years, Mark can’t help but secretly rejoice at the notion that he’d accidentally broken his blasted oath.

He opens a cabinet at random, rummages through the drawers. He’s not quite sure what he’s looking for, not until he discovers a worn-out folder with crayon stains on it.

The drawings are indeed first-rate, but that’s not what captivates his attention. He is in fact the subject of most of the sketches, either as a little boy or a dashing young sailor – and he finds his sight is blurring for some reason.

Dust got in his eyes, that must be it. He’s definitely not crying.


	2. Getting In Tune

They never stopped bickering, but in the end it didn’t matter. Day or night, sun or rain, history or ships – it was all good, their differences only making the time they spent together more stimulating if anything.

The quick peck on the cheek they shared twice a day – at seven in the morning, and then again at seven in the evening – soon became part of their routine, a far more pleasant start (and finish) to their shifts than any Mike had ever dreamt of having. And then it was the weekend, when neither of them had to sit at a desk and they could spend hours curled up in bed watching films and drinking hot chocolate.

He would tell her about the ships, sometimes; while she would try and make him remember the date of some random historical event, just for the fun of it.

Their colleagues were mildly amused when the weather house was placed in prominent display on their desk – which they now agreed was simultaneously a reception and a security desk, but even that didn’t matter because Griselda had been right all along.

The tuning fork had indeed changed his life, and so much for the better.


End file.
